A toner cartridge extending in a longitudinal direction thereof has a fresh toner chamber and a water toner chamber. The fresh toner chamber and waste toner chamber extend parallel to each other so that the fresh toner chamber and the waste toner chamber are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The waste toner chamber incorporates a toner-conveying member such as a screw conveyor. The screw conveyor extends between the opposed longitudinal ends, and causes the waste toner to move further into the waste toner chamber. The waste toner chamber has an entrance formed therein through which waste toner is received from a print process cartridge. The entrance opens yieldably when a waste toner exit enters the waste toner chamber through the entrance and closes when the waste toner exit moves out of the enters the waste toner chamber.
|
28. A toner cartridge that can be attached to a print process cartridge,
wherein the toner cartridge has a first fitting portion indicative of a particular type of content and provided at a bottom thereof, wherein only when the toner cartridge is inserted into a corresponding print process cartridge, the first fitting portion fits into the print process cartridge in mating engagement with the print process cartridge.
13. A toner cartridge and a print process cartridge that receives only a corresponding toner cartridge,
wherein the toner cartridge has a first fitting portion indicative of a particular type of content and the print process cartridge has a second fitting portion, wherein the toner cartridge is received into the print process cartridge only when the first fitting portion fits to the second fitting portion in mating engagement.
1. A toner cartridge removably attached to a printer, the toner cartridge extending generally in a longitudinal direction, the toner cartridge comprising:
a housing; a fresh toner chamber provided in said housing; a waste toner chamber provided in said housing, said waste toner chamber being at least partly adjacent to said fresh toner chamber; and a partition disposed in said housing, said partition extending in the longitudinal direction to divide an inner space of said housing to define said fresh toner chamber and said waste toner chamber such that said fresh toner chamber and said waste toner chamber extend parallel to each other and are at least partly horizontally adjacent when the toner cartridge has been attached to the printer.
8. A toner cartridge extending generally in a longitudinal direction, the toner cartridge removably being attached to a print process cartridge that has a waste toner exit, the toner cartridge comprising:
a housing; a fresh toner chamber provided in said housing; a waste toner chamber provided in said housing, said waste toner chamber being at least partly adjacent to said fresh toner chamber, said waste toner chamber having an entrance through which waste toner is received; and a partition disposed in said housing, said partition extending in the longitudinal direction to divide an inner space of said housing to define said fresh toner chamber and said waste toner chamber such that said fresh toner chamber and said waste toner chamber extend parallel to each other and are at least partly horizontally adjacent when the toner cartridge has been attached to the print process cartridge, wherein when the waste toner exit enters the entrance, the entrance yieldably resiliently opens to direct the waste toner from the waste toner exit of the print process cartridge into said waste toner chamber, and when the waste toner exit of the print process cartridge moves out of said entrance, said entrance closes resiliently.
2. The toner cartridge according to
3. The toner cartridge according to
(i) an opening formed at a first one of opposed longitudinal ends of said waste toner chamber, said waste toner chamber receiving waste toner through said opening from an external device; and (ii) a toner conveying member extending between the first one of the opposed longitudinal ends and a second one of the opposed longitudinal ends, said toner conveying member causing the waste toner to move away from said opening.
4. The toner cartridge according to
5. The toner cartridge according to
6. The toner cartridge according to
wherein said toner conveying member extends substantially horizontally between a first one of the opposed longitudinal ends and a second one of the opposed longitudinal ends and causes the waste toner to move toward the second one of the opposed longitudinal ends; wherein said toner conveying member includes a shaft having a spiral blade formed on a part of a length of said shaft.
7. The toner cartridge according to
wherein the shutter closes the opening when the operating lever is at a first position at which the operating lever is locked by the locking mechanism, and opens the opening when the operating lever is at a second position opposite to the first position.
9. The toner cartridge according to
wherein when the waste toner exit enters the waste toner chamber through said entrance, the slit yieldably opens so that the waste toner exit passes through the slit.
10. The toner cartridge according to
11. The toner cartridge according to
12. The toner cartridge according to
wherein said resilient member is yieldably pushed away from said entrance to open said entrance when the waste toner exit enters the waste toner chamber through said entrance, and is urged toward said entrance to close said entrance when the waste toner exit moves out of the waste toner chamber through said entrance.
14. The toner cartridge according to
15. The toner cartridge according to
16. The toner cartridge according to
17. The toner cartridge according to
18. The toner cartridge according to
wherein the toner cartridge can be properly attached to a print process cartridge only when the first fitting portion fits to a corresponding portion of the print process cartridge.
19. The toner cartridge according to
20. The toner cartridge according to
21. The toner cartridge according to
22. The toner cartridge according to
wherein the toner cartridge can be properly attached to a print process cartridge only when the first fitting portion fits to a corresponding portion of the print process cartridge.
23. The toner cartridge and the print process cartridge according to
24. The toner cartridge and the print process cartridge according to
25. The toner cartridge and the print process cartridge according to
26. The toner cartridge and the print process cartridge according to
27. The toner cartridge and the print process cartridge according to
29. The toner cartridge according to
30. The toner cartridge according to
31. The toner cartridge and the print process cartridge according to
|
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner cartridge for use in an electrophotographic image recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional print process cartridge for an electrophotographic printer uses a toner cartridge that is designed to detachably mounted. Toner is discharged from the toner cartridge into a toner reservoir. The toner is agitated by an agitator and supplied to a developing unit.
Then, a developing roller applies the toner to a photoconductive drum which has an electrostatic latent image formed thereon, thereby developing the electrostatic latent image with the toner into a toner image. The toner image is then transferred by a transfer roller to a print medium. The toner image on the print medium is then fixed and the print paper is finally discharged from the printer.
A small amount of toner fails to be transferred from the photoconductive drum to the print paper and remains on the photoconductive drum. A variety of cleaning methods are available to collect the residual toner on the photoconductive drum during the cleaning process. A desirable cleaning method is such that a cleaning unit requires a smaller space for storing the waste toner. One such method is to return the residual toner as waste toner to the toner cartridge, so that the toner cartridge can be discarded with the waste toner collected therein.
This type of toner cartridge has a chamber for waste toner adjacent to a chamber for fresh toner, these two chambers being aligned in the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge. Thus, the total length of the toner cartridge is the sum of the lengths of the fresh toner chamber and the waste toner chamber.
An opening formed in the toner cartridge is fitted to a waste toner exit of the print process cartridge, thereby coupling the toner cartridge to the print process cartridge. The waste toner is finally collected into the waste toner chamber of the toner cartridge through the waste toner exit.
The toner cartridge has a shutter mechanism formed near the opening. When the toner cartridge is disconnected from the waste toner exit of the print process cartridge, the shutter closes the opening to prevent the waste toner from falling through the opening from the toner cartridge.
As described above, the toner cartridge is relatively long due to the fact that the fresh toner chamber and the waste toner chamber are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge. The printer needs to be wide to accommodate a longitudinally long toner cartridge. If the waste toner chamber is made shorter in an attempt to reduce the width of the printer, the fresh toner chamber also has to be made shorter. If the fresh toner chamber has a length shorter than the width of a print region, the fresh toner may not be evenly supplied across the width of the print region, resulting in poor print quality.
Providing a shutter that closes the opening to prevent inadvertent spillage of toner from the toner cartridge requires a large number of mechanical parts which results in a complex mechanism. Such a complex mechanism causes frequent troubles and misuses.
The present invention was made in view of the aforementioned drawbacks.
An object of the invention is to provide a toner cartridge having a shorter longitudinal dimension than conventional toner cartridges, thereby implementing a miniaturized toner cartridge.
A toner cartridge extending in a longitudinal direction thereof, comprising a fresh toner chamber and a waster toner chamber. The fresh toner chamber extends in the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge. The waste toner chamber extends parallel to the fresh toner chamber so that the fresh toner chamber and the waste toner chamber are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
The fresh toner chamber has an opening through which the toner is discharged from said fresh toner chamber, a shutter, an operating lever, and a locking mechanism. The shutter closes the opening when the operating lever is at a first position at which the operating lever is locked by the locking mechanism and opens the opening when the operating lever is at a second position opposite to the first position.
The waste toner chamber has an entrance formed at one of opposed longitudinal ends of the waste toner chamber. The waste toner chamber receives waste toner through the entrance from outside. There is provided a toner-conveying member such as a screw conveyor in the waste toner chamber. The screw-conveying member extends between the opposed longitudinal ends, becoming higher with increasing distance from the first one of the opposed longitudinal ends and causing the waste toner to move further into the waste toner chamber. The toner-conveying member may extend in a horizontal direction and have a spiral blade on a part of the length thereof.
The waste toner chamber has a resilient member fitted into the entrance. The resilient member having a slit formed therein through which the waste toner exit enters the waste toner chamber when the toner cartridge is attached to the print process cartridge.
The resilient member is folded at said slit when the resilient member is fitted into the entrance.
The waste toner chamber has a flexible sleeve-like sealing member fitted to the entrance. The sealing member has one end opening to communicate with the opening of the waste toner chamber and another end normally resiliently closed. The closed end resiliently opens when the waste toner exit enters into the waste toner chamber through the sleeve-like sealing member, and resiliently closes when the waste toner exit comes out of the waste toner chamber.
The resilient member may be urged by a spring against the entrance. When the waste toner exit enters the waste toner chamber through the entrance, waste toner exit pushes the resilient member to yieldably move away from the entrance, thereby opening the entrance. When the waste toner exit moves out of the waste toner chamber through the entrance, the sprint urges the resilient member against the entrance, thereby closing the entrance.
The toner cartridge and the print process cartridge may have polarizers that matingly match each other, so that only a right toner cartridge can be attached into a corresponding location of the print process cartridge. This feature prevents misplacement of the toner cartridge in the print process cartridge.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limiting the present invention, and wherein:
The present invention will be described in detail by way of example.
Overall Construction
FIGS. 1B and IC are side view of an operating knob as seen in a direction shown by arrow D.
Referring to
The toner cartridge 1 has the side wall 2b at one of opposite longitudinal ends and a side plate 17 at the other. A sealing sponge 23 is of the substantially the same shape as the side plate 17 and fits into the main wall 2a in intimate contact with inner surface of the main wall 2a. The side plate 17 is of substantially the same shape as the contour of the main wall 2a. The side plate 17 is formed with an opening 18 and holes 19 and 20 therein through which later described bosses 26 extends into the fresh toner chamber 3 and waste toner chamber 4, respectively. The toner cartridge 1 receives the waste toner through the opening 18 from the print process cartridge 29. The side plate 17 is formed with projections 21 on the side surface thereof (
Referring back to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The boss 26 is mounted below the opening 18 of the side plate 17 while the support 25 is above the opening 18 so that the screw conveyor 24 is at an angle (e.g. 5 degrees) with the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge 1.
The fresh toner chamber 3 has a toner agitating mechanism 60 that includes a crank shaft 60a and flexible flaps 60b in the shape of a film that extends downward. The flexible flaps 60b are suspended from the top portion of the inner wall 2c. When the crank shaft 60a rotates, the crank shaft 60a taps the flexible flap 60, thereby agitating the toner in the fresh toner chamber. The crank shaft also agitates the fresh toner at the bottom of the fresh toner chamber.
The boss 26 is coupled to a gear 27 through, for example, a resilient claw so that the boss 26 is driven in rotation by the gear 27 when the gear train 27 rotates. The gear 27 is in mesh with a drive gear train, not shown, of the print process cartridge 29, and is driven in rotation. The boss 26 has a projection 26b and the screw conveyor 24 has a projection 24c at one end thereof close to the projection 26b. When the boss 26 rotates in a direction shown by arrow, the projection 26b abuts the projection 24c of the screw conveyor 24 to drive the screw conveyor 24 in rotation in the same direction, so that the screw conveyor 24 delivers the waste toner into the waste toner chamber.
Referring to
The mounting operation of the toner cartridge 1 will be described. As shown in
As shown in
When the operating lever 11 is rotated, the shutter 12 integrally continuous with the operating knob 10 also rotates so that the fresh toner in the fresh toner chamber 3 is cascaded through the openings 7 into the print process cartridge 29.
The operation of the toner cartridge 1 of the above-mentioned construction for collecting the waste toner will be described.
The screw conveyor 24 continues to rotate during the toner collecting operation.
Referring to
{Preventing Misplacement of Toner Cartridge and Modification of Screw Conveyor}
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The positions of the hole H1 of the female piece F1 and the pin P1 of the male piece M1 are selected such that a particular position indicates a particular color of toner. In the embodiment, the holes may be formed at four different locations (including dotted circles) as shown in
The positions of the hole H2 of the female piece F2 and the pin P2 of the male piece M2 are selected depending on the product grade or customer. In other words, a particular position indicates a particular product grade or customer.
The pins P1 and P2 fit into the holes H1 and H2 of the toner cartridge, respectively, in mating engagement only when the toner cartridge matches in color with a mounting location on the print process cartridge. That is, the female pieces F1 and the male pieces M1 form a polarizer while the female piece F2 and the male piece M2 form another polarizer.
If the toner cartridge is misplaced, the pins P1 and P2 of the print process cartridge do not fit into the holes H1 and H2 of the toner cartridge, respectively, thereby preventing the inadvertent misplacement of toner cartridges in the print process cartridge. The holes h1 and h2 receive pins P1 and P2 therein, respectively. The pins P are selectively inserted into the holes h according to color of toner and product grade or market at the time of manufacture.
Although the embodiment shows a case in which only one combination of pin and hole, any number of combinations of pins and holes may be employed, up to four in this embodiment. For example, a polarizer formed of the female piece F1 and male piece M1 may use two pins P and two holes H. Likewise, a polarizer formed of the female piece F2 and male piece M2 may use three pins P and three holes H.
{Entrance of Waste Toner Chamber}
Referring to
The operations for mounting the toner cartridge 1 to and dismounting the toner cartridge 1 from the print process cartridge will be described.
First, the user holds the toner cartridge 1 with the toner cartridge 1 inclined in a similar way to that shown in FIG. 6 and lowers the toner cartridge 1 until the opening 18 receives the tip of the waste toner exit 42 of the print process cartridge 29. When the tip of the waste toner exit 42 enters the opening 18, the user lowers the knob side of the toner cartridge 1 so that the toner cartridge 1 extends horizontal. At this stage, the projection 31 of the print process cartridge 29 fits into the recess 22 of the side plate 17 so that the toner cartridge 1 is securely held in the print process cartridge 29. Thus, the toner cartridge is prevented from rotating relative to the print process cartridge or being pulled out the print process cartridge. The inclined surfaces 42a of the waste toner exit 42 forcibly enters into the slit 35a formed in the foamed sponge 35. Since the length of the slit 35a is shorter than the circumference of the waste toner exit 42, the foamed sponge holds the waste toner exit 42 resiliently tightly to provide good sealing effect. Thus, the waste toner is prevented from leaking from the waste toner exit 42.
When the toner cartridge 1 is disconnected from the waste toner exit 42, the foamed sponge 35 regains its original shape, i.e., closes due to its resiliency, preventing the waste toner from leaking through the opening 18. Thus, the foamed sponge 35 eliminates the need for a complicated shutter mechanism but provides a simple, reliable means for preventing toner leakage.
{First Modification of the Entrance of Waste Toner Chamber}
A first modification of the entrance of the waste toner chamber further increases the sealing effect of the foamed sponge and prevents the foamed sponge from rolling up.
Referring to
When the foamed sponge 37 is mounted into the support portion 34, the foamed sponge 37 bent into a V-shape is mounted such that the foamed sponge tapers in the direction of insertion of the waste toner exit 42. The V-shaped foamed sponge 37 provides more force to intimately hold the waste toner exit 42 than a foamed sponge not bent into a V-shape, so that the foamed sponge 37 does not roll up.
The operation for attaching the toner cartridge 1 to and detaching the toner cartridge 1 from the waste toner exit 42 will be described.
The operation is the same as the first modification of the entrance of waste toner chamber until the toner cartridge 1 is secured to the print process cartridge 29 and therefore the description thereof is omitted.
When the toner cartridge 1 has been secured to the print process cartridge 29, the waste toner exit 42 forcibly opens the slit 37a in the foamed sponge 37 and enters the foamed sponge 37. Since the V-shaped foamed sponge 37 has a large force to intimately hold the waste toner exit 42, the slit 37a will not open wide so that the foamed sponge does not roll up or turn up near the slit 37a. Thus, the waste toner exit 42 smoothly enters the slit 37a. The length of the slit 37a is shorter than the outer circumference of the waste toner exit 42 so that the waste toner will not leak through the gaps when the waste toner exit 42 enters the slit 37a.
When the toner cartridge 1 is disconnected from the waste toner exit 42, the foamed sponge 37 sufficiently closes the slit 37a to prevent the waste toner from leaking. The V-shaped foamed sponge 37 holds the waste toner exit 42 resiliently intimately so that when the waste toner exit 42 is pulled out of the foamed sponge 37, there will no be significant gaps therebetween. Thus, the waste toner exit 42 smoothly enters the slit 37a.
{Second Modification of Entrance of Waste Toner Chamber}
Referring to
The side plate 17 has an inner plate 27 assembled thereto.
Referring to
When the waste toner exit 42 has moved out of the toner cartridge, the polyurethane sponge 28a is urged by the spring 28b against the inner surface of the inner plate 27, thereby completely closing the waste toner chamber.
As shown in
{Third Modification of the Entrance of Waste Toner Chamber}
A toner cartridge having a third modification of the entrance of waste toner also has a fresh toner chamber and a waste toner chamber but is of a somewhat different structure.
Referring to
As shown in
The sealing member 39 is made of, for example, a cylindrical tube with one end deformed, for example, by heat into the closed portion 39b. The sealing member 39 may also be made by welding opposed ends of two sheets of polyester film placed together, and then attaching one of the opposed openings of the welded polyester to a separate ring-shaped member as the opening 39a.
As shown in
The operation for attaching the toner cartridge 46 to and detaching the toner cartridge 46 from the waste toner exit 43 will be described.
The user holds the toner cartridge 46 oblique and lowers the toner cartridge 46 until the opening 49 receives the waste toner exit 43 of the print process cartridge 44. When the tip of the waste toner exit 43 enters the sealing member 39, the knob side of the toner cartridge 46, not shown, is lowered so that the toner cartridge 1 extends horizontal. At this stage, the waste toner exit 43 enters the entrance 38 through the opening 39a of the sealing member 39 and then further into the sealing member 39 to forcibly open the closed portion 39b. Then, the waste toner exit 43 enters the opening 49.
When the toner cartridge 46 is disconnected from the waste toner exit 43, the waste toner exit 43 comes out of the sealing member 39 so that the sealing member 39 regains its original shape and the closed portion 39b remains closed. After the toner cartridge 46 has been disconnected from the waste toner exit 43, the closed portion 39b prevents the waste toner from leaking through the opening 49.
{Fourth Modification of the Entrance of Waste Toner Chamber}
A toner cartridge having a fourth modification of the entrance of waste toner is basically of the same structure as the third modification.
Referring to
The rest of the construction of the fourth modification is the same as that of the third modification and the description thereof is omitted.
The operation for attaching the toner cartridge 46 to and detaching the toner cartridge 46 from the waste toner exit 43 will be described.
The user holds the toner cartridge 46 oblique and lowers the toner cartridge 46 until the opening 49 receives the tip of the waste toner exit 43 of the print process cartridge 44. When the tip of the waste toner exit 43 enters the toner cartridge 46, the user lowers the knob side of the toner cartridge 46, not shown, so that the toner cartridge 1 extends horizontal. At this stage, the waste toner exit 43 enters the entrance 38 through the opening 40a of the sealingmember 40 and then further into the sealing member 40 to forcibly open the closed portion 40b.
When the toner cartridge 46 is disconnected from the waste toner exit 43, the waste toner exit 43 comes out of the sealing member 40 so that the sealing member 40 regains its original shape and the closed portion 40b remains closed.
Since the closed portion 40b is folded, the closed portion 40b is prevented from remaining open when the waste toner exit 43 has come out of the entrance 38.
In addition to the advantages of the third modification, the fourth modification has the following advantage. The folded closed portion 40b ensures that when the waste toner exit 43 is not inserted into the entrance 38, the closed portion 40b is firmly closed. A folded portion offers better sealing effect than a non-folded portion.
The waste toner chamber may not extend across the entire longitudinal length.
{Locking Mechanism of Operating Knob}
The toner cartridge shown in
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Thus, as is clear from
The user can push the locking bar 51 toward the toner cartridge 1 and then rotate the operating knob 45 toward the position B while pushing the locking bar, thereby moving the operating lever 45 out of locking engagement with the locking bar 51.
Referring to
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
10048623, | Dec 30 2011 | Lexmark International, Inc. | Toner cartridge for use in an image forming device |
10338498, | Sep 30 2009 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Developer container and image forming device |
10656560, | Sep 30 2009 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Developer container and image forming device |
10901341, | Sep 30 2009 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Developer container and image forming device |
11269268, | Sep 30 2009 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Developer container and image forming device |
12066769, | Jun 08 2020 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Toner container having a shutter and an engaging portion exposed from the shutter |
6493516, | Jul 12 2000 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Toner container and method of determining abnormality of toner container |
6904249, | May 28 2002 | OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO , LTD | Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus using the same |
6907213, | Oct 31 2002 | HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L P | Ink disposal in cartridges |
6934490, | Aug 27 2002 | OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO , LTD | Toner container, print process cartridge and image forming apparatus |
6999702, | Oct 03 2002 | HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L P | Ink disposal in cartridges |
7010252, | Nov 21 2002 | Jindal Innovation Center SRL | Mounting construction of a toner cartridge for an image forming apparatus |
7062205, | Dec 24 2002 | Kyocera Mita Corporation | Structure for locking a shutter member in a toner supplying container |
7197266, | Oct 31 2002 | S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO , LTD | Ink disposal in cartridges |
7315716, | Nov 21 2002 | OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO , LTD | Mounting construction of a toner cartridge for an image forming apparatus |
7426356, | Jul 21 2005 | OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO , LTD | Developer cartridge, print process cartridge, and image forming apparatus |
7643777, | Apr 27 2006 | FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp | Toner cartridge |
7689149, | Jun 04 2004 | Oki Data Corporation | Image forming apparatus and toner cartridge |
7949287, | Sep 27 2005 | OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO , LTD | Developer cartridge, image forming unit and image forming apparatus |
7983602, | Jun 04 2004 | Oki Data Corporation | Image forming apparatus and toner cartridge |
8131182, | Aug 31 2007 | Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. | Imaging cartridge and image forming apparatus |
8315537, | Sep 25 2008 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image-forming device having cleaning unit for removing developer |
8583023, | Aug 19 2009 | Oki Data Corporation | Developer conveying apparatus, developer storage container, and image forming apparatus |
9046867, | Sep 25 2008 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Developing unit having slidably movable receptable |
9164476, | Jun 21 2011 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Toner cartridge having structure for minimizing deformation when gripped |
9188938, | Nov 22 2010 | OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO , LTD | Developer collection container and image formation apparatus |
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
4593997, | Jun 22 1984 | Xerox Corporation | Residual toner removal and collection apparatus |
5078303, | Dec 26 1989 | Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. | Mechanism for mounting and removing a toner cartridge of a development device |
5568237, | May 12 1994 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Toner box having axially spaced and trapezoidal, flexible agitating members |
5937235, | Jul 30 1998 | Xerox Corporation | Reproduction machine including a developer material cartridge having a non-interfering dual-use sealing device |
JP59184373, |
Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Jun 02 2000 | NAKAJIMA, SHIGEKI | Oki Data Corporation | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 010910 | /0166 | |
Jun 13 2000 | Oki Data Corporation | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / |
Date | Maintenance Fee Events |
Aug 26 2005 | M1551: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 4th Year, Large Entity. |
Sep 28 2009 | M1552: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 8th Year, Large Entity. |
Jul 16 2010 | ASPN: Payor Number Assigned. |
Aug 28 2013 | M1553: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 12th Year, Large Entity. |
Date | Maintenance Schedule |
Mar 26 2005 | 4 years fee payment window open |
Sep 26 2005 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Mar 26 2006 | patent expiry (for year 4) |
Mar 26 2008 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4) |
Mar 26 2009 | 8 years fee payment window open |
Sep 26 2009 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Mar 26 2010 | patent expiry (for year 8) |
Mar 26 2012 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8) |
Mar 26 2013 | 12 years fee payment window open |
Sep 26 2013 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Mar 26 2014 | patent expiry (for year 12) |
Mar 26 2016 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12) |